Plantronics has had success in the past with Bluetooth earphones, producing sets like the Editors' Choice BackBeat Go 2 and the BackBeat Fit. The company has finally jumped from small, gym-friendly ear buds to full-sized headphones with the BackBeat Pro. This $249.99 over-ear pair is wireless, can be used as a wired set of headphones without power, and even features active noise cancellation technology. They're very well made and cleverly designed, and their sound signature is balanced and robust...if you keep the noise cancelling turned off. Unfortunately, the same feature that can block out outside noise also muddies and muffles the music you want to listen to.

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DesignThe BackBeat Pro headphones have a pleasantly understated design, full of muted black plastic and padding and only a few metallic accents. The earcups are circular and large, with the insides helpfully marked with a large L or R to indicate the side. The headband is similarly padded, and the metal arms have distinct click-stops to hold the headphones in place once you've found a proper fit. They sat comfortably on my large head, and wearing them for long periods of time wasn't a problem in my tests.

Each earcup is loaded with controls that are distributed evenly enough between a large, ridged control ring, a prominent button, and smaller switches and buttons that they don't seem too cluttered. The left cup holds a prominent Play/Pause button, a jog dial control ring for navigating tracks, and a small switch that enables the active noise cancellation, plus a micro USB port for charging and a 3.5mm aux port. The right cup features a Call Answer/End button, a volume control ring that works separately from the connected device, a small power switch, and a small button that temporarily disables noise cancellation and boosts outside sounds or, if you're on a call, mutes the microphone. The controls are all very easy to use, thanks to the most common functions (playback control, volume adjustment, and answering or ending calls) getting the big, friendly buttons and dials.

Connections and FeaturesThe BackBeat Pro can maintain a connection with up to two devices at once over Bluetooth. The transition between devices is very smooth, and I had no problem switching between my PlayStation Vita and computer while commuting at work, while keeping a connection to my phone. If you have a Class 1 Bluetooth device, the BackBeat Pro can function up to 330 feet away. Besides the wireless convenience, the BackBeat Pro features built-in sensors that can automatically pause or play tracks when you take the headphones off or put them back on. The sensors also tell the headphones when to go into sleep mode to prolong the battery.

Plantronics claims the BackBeat Pro can last a full 24 hours of continuous music playback with active noise cancellation enabled, and my broad testing confirms this in every-day use, considering I didn't have to charge the headphones more than once a week. This is a very impressive number you can stretch to up to 60 hours by disabling the noise-canceling feature. When not in use, the BackBeat Pro goes into a deep sleep mode, which the company says can let the battery keep a charge for up to six months. The headphones can also work completely passively through a wired connection with the included 3.5mm cable, which features an in-line microphone and three-button remote to replace the on-cup controls and microphone that require power to run.

Besides the audio cable, the BackBeat Pro comes with a micro USB cable for charging (but no wall adapter) and a ballistic nylon carrying pouch. The pouch is remarkably sturdy, with a soft interior and enough space to hold your smartphone or small tablet.

Noise Cancellation and PerformanceActive noise cancellation uses microphones to measure outside noise, and generates an inverse wave that cancels it out while you listen to music. The BackBeat Pro's noise-canceling technology worked well, reducing or eliminating outside noises like subway cars and fans. It's not as powerful as the noise-cancelling technology Bose built into the QuietComfort 20 earphones, but it still makes an appreciable difference.

If you need to keep your ears open for announcements in a subway station or airport, the Mute button on the right earcup reduces the current audio source's volume to a minimum and actively brings in outside noise with the microphones, so you don't have to take the headphones off. You can also completely disable the active noise-canceling feature and rely only on the noise isolation of the earpads with the ANC switch on the left earcup. Because of how the feature affects the headphones' sound signature, keeping the ANC switch in the Off position is preferable for most situations.

The BackBeat Pro handled our standard bass test track, The Knife's "Silent Shout," very well. At maximum volume levels, the kick drum hits sounded full and clear, though the bass synth notes just barely flirted with distortion. It sounded fine with active noise canceling both on and off, though turning off the feature gave the kick drum a bit more power.

Unfortunately, the noise canceling doesn't treat lows and low-mids nearly as gently as it treats sub-bass. Miles Davis and Monster Magnet demonstrated that the active noise-canceling feature really shouldn't be used if you want the best musical experience. The upright bass in Miles Davis' "So What" sounded slightly muddy, and the slight background hiss of the analog recording stood out more than usual with the feature turned on. Monster Magnet's "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" lost some off its texture and depth, particularly in the low end. When I turned off the feature, the different bass notes in both tracks sounded markedly richer and fuller, and "Negasonic Teenage Warhead" lost the unsettling cleanness it had before, recovering that slight sludge sound that gives the stoner rock genre its signature personality.

I ended up turning off the active noise canceling feature entirely during testing outside of my commute on the subway. It's a nice extra feature that can help when you want to block outside noises, but it notably hurts the BackBeat Pro's otherwise very good audio signature.

ConclusionPlantronics' BackBeat Pro headphones are an excellent wireless over-ear pair with a full feature set for a reasonable price. It's a shame that the noise cancellation damages the sound so much, making it a feature you should only save for really loud areas and keep turned off during casual listening. If you're looking to spend a little less and are willing to forego the noise cancelling entirely, the Editors' Choice Supertooth Freedom is an excellent pick, as is the on-ear Mad Catz F.R.E.Q.M Wireless headset. And, if you want to pay half the price and have a pair of earphones you can comfortably wear at the gym, the Plantronics BackBeat Go 2 are still strong contenders in the in-ear category.

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Will Greenwald has been covering consumer technology for more than six years, and has served on the editorial staffs of CNET.com, Sound & Vision, and Maximum PC. Since graduating from Syracuse University in 2005, Will has been an active technology journalist both online and in print. His work and analysis has been seen in GamePro, Tested.com, Geek.com, and several other publications. He currently covers consumer electronics in the PCMag.com labs, focusing on Blu-ray players, set-top boxes, and other home theater equipment.
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